Yuval Diskin, head of the Israeli internal security agency (Shabak), conveyed that groups affiliated to al Qaeda were behind the firing of rockets from the Gaza Strip towards Israeli towns and settlements near the Gaza Strip. Diskin, who spoke before the Committee for Foreign Affairs and Defense in the Israeli parliament, said: "There are about 500 activists from Hamas, who share the ideas of al Qaeda, and some of them in contact with the leadership of al Qaeda in the region," said Diskin.

He added "Gaza factions want an Islamic caliphate. Hamas seeks (this) through charities, while other more radical groups want the same goal through violence."

Diskin also criticized the Egyptian authorities for their reaction to what he called the smuggling of weapons into the Gaza Strip, saying: "If the Egyptians wanted to prevent that, within 48 hours they will be able to control the border."